Mechanism



(No Model.) V 5 Sheets-Sheet 1. L. G. GR OWELL.

SHEET SUPERIMPOSING MECHANISM. No. 328,880. Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

ags I N, PETERS, Fhatn-Liihogmphcn Wnihlnglun. n. c.

(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet12.

L. G. OROWELL. V

SHEET SUPERIMPOSING MEGHANISM.

N8. 328,880. Patented 001;. 20, 1885.

(No Model.) \5 Sh eets Sheet s.

. L. C. GROWELL.

SHEET SUPERIMPOSING MECHANISM.

No. 328,880. Patented Out. 20, 1885 (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

L. G. OROWELL.

-SHEET SUPBRIMPOSING MECHANISM. No. 328,880. Patented Oct. 20,1885.

at PETERS. Plmlu-Lilhagn h hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh C.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

L. G. GROWELL.

SHEET SUPBRIMPOSING MECHANISM.

No. 328,880. Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

as Phm-ume m mr, Washington 0 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

LUTHER o. CROWELL, or BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO B. HOE & 00., on NEW YORK, n. Y.

SHEET-SUPERIMPOSING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 328,880, dated October 20, 1885.

Application filed February 25, 1884. Serial No. 121,925. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUTHER O. CROWELL,

a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Superimposing Mechanisms, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The object of this invention is the superimposing of sheets of material in pairs, so that sheets following each other in succession may be brought together and be associated one up on another in proper register, and thus associated be operated upon or manipulated as a be folded together to form a single product,

- means by which the advance end or head of said following sheet is directed past the rear end or tail of the detained sheet, so as to be prevented from fouling therewith.

A practical embodiment of the invention as a part of the delivery mechanism of a printing-machine is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which v Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a sectional elevation, of so much of the mechanism as is necessary to an understanding of the invention and its construction and operation. Enlarged views of the sheet-arresting mechanism are, however, given in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, Fig. 3 showing the position of these parts when one sheet has entered the mechanism and been arrested, Fig. 4 their position when two sheets have been entered, and Fig. 5 the position of the devices and the two superimposed sheets when the arrested one is released. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the cam mechanism for operating the grippers, and Fig. 8 is a de' tail illustrating a modification which will be hereinafter referred to. Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate modifications of the superimposing apparatus, Fig. 9 showing, among other things, its combination with a vibrating folding mechanism, and Fig. 10 its combination with a rotary folding mechanism.

Before proceeding to a detailed description of its various devices, it is to be remarked that thissheet-superimposing mechanism may be successfully employed in connection with a printing-machine that has sheets fed to it by hand or automatically, or with a printingmachine that operates upon aweb of material and separates the same into sheets by automatically-operating cutting devices; also that the sheets when associated or collected in pairs may thereafter be folded by a folding mechanism that imparts a transverse or a longitudi nal fold, or be delivered to a fly, or alternate pairs be delivered to different pathwaysto be conducted to separate delivery mechanism, which may be fliers, folders, or associating mechanisms for combining some other product with said pairs of sheets. As, however, this superimposing mechanism is here illustrated as working in conjunction with a web-printing machine, and with a folding delivery that imparts either a transverse fold or one on a line parallel with the travel of the sheets, the mechanism shown will be described with particularity.

The cylinders A B at the left hand are illustrative of the cutting-cylinders of aperfectingprinting machine, between which cylinders the web of paper, when perfected by'impressions on its Opposite surfaces, is carried and severed or partially severed on transverse lines at such distances apart (usually determined by the diameter of the cylinders) as to divide it at the margin into equalized sheets. These cylinders are provided with the usual cutting de-. vices,a c, and will be geared with some of the. rotating parts of the printing-machine, so as to turn in unison with the printingcylinders. From these cylinders A B the sheets pass into conducting-tapes 2 4, by which they are carried onward to the superimposing mechanism,

5 said tapes running at such higher rate of speed than the cutting-cylinders as to cause each sheetas it is nipped by them to take up an accelerated movement, and thus be advanced rapidly enough to be separated from the following sheet, and thus provide an interval or working-space between each sheet and the following one; and if the web has been but partially severed this movement will also complete the severance. As here shown, .these 5 tapes 2 4 run out horizontally from the pulleys 2O 21 for a distance something more than a sheet s length, and return horizontally. over the partingpulleys 22, and again pass out horizontally over pulleys 23. This makes a compact machine; but in some constructions the parting-pulleys 22 will be placed at such height relative to the cylinders A B as to cause said tapes to incline outward and upward.

The rotary carrier or cylinder 0 at the right is illustrative of the well-known rotary folding mechanism, which carrier is provided with a rotary folding-blade, 30, so geared and driven that during each revolution of the carrier 0 its edge will describe the epicycloidal p'ath delineated by the dotted lines, and thus be pro.-

truded between the folding-rollers 31 32, and

withdrawn therefrom in the manner and by means fully set forth in United States Patents No. 171,196, granted December 14, 1875, and No. 191,494, granted May 29, 1877. This carrier C may be provided with sheet seizing, holding, and releasing grippers 29, as in the first-named patent, or the same may be omitted, or-pins may be used for controlling the leading edges of the superimposed sheets, as in Patent No. 143,674, granted October 14, 1873. The pulleys 20 21 are set some distance away from the cylinders A B, and the intervening space may be bridged, if desired, by conductors, as is common. The tapes 2and 4, of which there are several in series, arranged in the same plane horizontally, as is shown in Fig. 1, constitute a pathway from the cutting-cylinders to the folding mechanism, but might be in more sections than one, if desired-that is, one section might terminate at the pulleys 23 and an other extend from the pulleys 23 to the pulleys 32, and hence, as forming part of the superimposing mechanism, are only to be considered as extending from the entrance-point thereto to-the source-supply of the sheets, or beyond the superimposing mechanism to the place of final delivery or further manipulation of the'sheets. The tapes 2, as shown, extend from the pulleys 20 to and pass around the parting-pulleys 22, thence to and around the pulleys 23, thence to and around the carrier O, and thence return under stretchingpulleys 34.t0 the pulleys 20. The tapes 4 ex-. 5 tend from the pulleys 27 to and pass around the parting-pulleys 22, thence to and. around the pulleys 23 to the carrier 0, on whose surpers 6 may operate.

facethey bear for a short distance,and thence pass'around the folding-roller 3 2, and return over stretching-pulleys 33 to the pulleys 21. These tapes are separated a slight distance at the pulleys 2O 21, and have nipping contact at the parting-rollers 22, as is common, to effect the increased or accelerated movement of a a stop-bar, 5, and a set of co-operating grippers, 6. Vance of the pulleys 23 and extends trans versely of the machine with its ends supported upon the frame-work. As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the bar lies between the tapes 2 4 and in such position that the tapes 4, which pass above it, are raised and held a short distance away from the tapes 2, and so that a small space is left between the bar and the latter tapes. The

The stop-bar is located just in adspace thus provided alfords room for the incoming sheet to pass forward beneath the bar without fouling with the rear end or tail of the arrested sheet. The grippers 6, which co-op; erate with the bar 5, consist of a number of se arate members see Fig. l all attached to a I single rock-shaft, 7, that moves in bearings in the side frames, motion being communicated to it to rock the grippers from the open posi-, tion shown in Figs. 2and 5 to the closed posi- IOO tion shown in Figs. 3 and 4 by means of-a rockarm, 1.1, aconnecting-rod, 12, and a lever, 13,

that is vibrated at the proper intervals by a cam or by other suitable means. Sheet after sheet passing in succession into the tapes 2 4, and the forward sheet separated a distance from the following sheet by the operation of the parting-pulleys 22, it results that as each sheet is entered into the superimposing 1nechanism there will be an interval of time during which there is no sheet in the tapes between the stop-bar 5 and the pulley, 23, and that this will be greater or less according to the increased surface-speed the tapes have over that of the cylindersA B. This interval produces a working-space between successive sheets. as hereinbefore described, through which the grip When the grippers 6 are open or raised, as in Figs. 2 and 5, thesheet being carried forward over the pulleys 5 (call it the first sheet 8) will lie upon the tapes 2 and pass outwa-rd'under the stop-bar 5 toward the cylinder 0. When, however,

the tail of this sheet 8 is approaching the stopbar 5, it will, if the grippers 6 are rocked in :proper time to their closed position, (shown j in Fig. 3,)-have its tail engaged by said grippens and clamped onto the stop-bar 5, thus arresting the onward course of said sheet and detaining it for a suitable period to enable another sheet to pass. onward beneath said first sheet 8. In this movement of the grippers 6 theirends will havedescribed the path delineated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, and made their sweep through the tapes, but in the workingspace existing between the sheet 8 and the next following sheet, and when theyhave completed such movement, as in Fig. 3, and clamped the sheet 8, they will then leave the pathway for the succeeding sheet clear and unobstructed. The second sheet (call it 9 carried forward over the pulleys 23 will likewise lie upon the tapes 2 and pass outward under the grippers 6, stop-bar 5, and the arrested sheet 8, as in Fig. 4, and when this sheet 9 has traveled forward far enough to bring its head or leading edge even with the leading edge of the sheet 8, thus superimposing the two sheets, the grippers .6 will be quickly opened to release sheet 8,, as in Fig. 5, and said sheet will simultaneously take up an onward movement, and the two superimposed sheets will thereupon travel onward as a single sheet. As the leading end of the sheet 9 passes beneath the stopbar 5,it will be guided past the rear end or tail of the arrested sheet by the grippers 6, so as to beprevented from fouling therewith. The reason for separating the tapes 2 and 4 by carrying the tapes 4 over the bar 5 will now be obvious, as will also the reason for bringing the tapes into nippingcontact at the carrier 0, for it is apparent that sufficient space for the free travel of the sheets past the grippers 6 must be provided,and that some means for, simultaneously starting the heads of the superimposed sheets forward will be required. The position of the bar 5 affords ample space for the passage of the sheets beneath the grippers, while the bringing of the tapes together upon the carrier gives them sufficient nip upon the sheets to start the sheet 8 as soon as it is released by the grippers. The means for causing the arrested sheet to start and move on with the movingsheet may,

, however, be made more positive by the provision of a drop-roller,l4,and its companion 15, as shown in Fig. 2, which rollers are driven by the tapes and of course with like surfacespeed. The drop-roller 14 will be rocked into pressing contact with the superimposed sheets simultaneously, or nearly so, with the releasing movement of the grippers 6, and will be raised again at a suitable time not to obstruct or modify the arresting action of the grippers. No means is shown for operating the droproller, except its rock-arm 16, as they are common and well understood.

While the sheets will in practice follow or adhere to the tapes 2in passing outward under the stop-bar 5, it may in manipulating some grades ofpaper be expedient to insure their passage beyond said stop-bar 5 without contact with the grippers, and hence, as shown in Fig. 4, only a number of conducting rods or bars are illustrated as bridging the space between said stop-bar 5 and the pulleys 23. These conductors or rods 17 will be arranged in the spaces between the separate members composing the grippers 6, (see Fig. 1,) and startwheel, 40, one path, the groove 41, of which holds the lever 13 in such position as to cause the grippers 6 to stand open during one revo= lution of the wheel 40, while the other path, its periphery 42, supports the lever 13 in such position as to cause the grippers 6 to remain closed during one revolution of the wheel 40; and the movement of the lever 13 from one path to the other at each revolution of the wheel 40 is effected by means of a switch, 43, that is pivoted in a recessed portion of the periphery of said wheel, and so shaped as to antomatically present its points first in the position shown in Fig. 6, and then in that shown in Fig. 7. Assuming that the stud or frictionroller on the end of the lever 13 has, while the switch stands as in Fig. 6, passed from the periphery42 of the wheel 40 underneath the switch and entered the path 41 to open the grippers 6, as there shown, it will be seen that as said wheel 40 continues to revolveiu the direction of the arrow said roller will, as the heel of said switch passes it, throw the same into the position shown in Fig. 7, and

hence that as the switch is again brought into contact with said roller (as a revolution of said roller will again bear upon the heel of said switch, and,moving it in the opposite direction, throw the switch into the position shown in Fig. 6, to repeat the operation after the wheel 40has made another revolution dur ing which it holds the grippers 6 closed. It is also to be remarked that the connections between the lever 13 and the gripper-shaft 7 may be ofa different form from that shown. For example, the rod 12, instead of being con: nected to an arm upon the gripper-shaft, may be provided with a rack which engages with a segment or pinion upon said shaft to effect the rocking of the same, as shown in Fig. 8. It will of course be understood that the enlike the pulleys 32 31, properly mounted to stretch the tapes 2 4 in a straight, preferably trance-point to as well as the exit-point from V a horizontal, line, (see Fig. 9,) would serve v the purpose. The tapes 2 might then return from the pulleys 31 to the pulleys 23, and the tapes 4 from the pulleys 32 to the pulleys 60, resting on top or above the pulleys 23; or, if a set of pulleys, as 64, are used above the set 23, (see Fig. 9,) as carriers for the tapes 4, said pulleys may raise the tapes '4 but a slight distance, so that they do not bear upon the stop-bar 5, but bring the same outside or above the tapes 4, and this would render it possible to have the tapes quite near together, if for any reason that should become desirable. These tapes might be long enough to lead the superimposed sheets over folding-rollers whose axes are parallel with the travel of the sheets, and with which a suitable folding-blade is combined, so as to fold the superimposed sheets on a line parallel with their sides,which is shown in Fig. 9. Here the tapes 2 extend from pulleys 23 to the pulleys 31, and pass over longitudinallyarranged folding-rollers 62, (only one of which is shown,) that are arranged as is common to co-operate with the vibrating folding-blade 61 placed above them. The tapes 4 extend from pulleys 64 to pulleys 32, said pulleys 64 being raised so as to separate the tapes at the entrance point. These tapes pass beneath the stop-bar 5, with which the grippers 6 cooperate, and have extending rearwardly from them guards or conductors 17, that terminate between the pulleys 23 60. Tapes m n are arranged to: conduct the sheets from the cutting-cylinders B Ato the superimposing mechanism, the tapes m in practice extending from the pulleys 21 to the pulleys 60, and the tapes n from the pulleys 20 to the pulleys 23, which tapes mot thus have a bend in passing over the pulleys 23,

' whereby a nip upon the sheets is insured,and

as said pulleys 23 run at a higher speed than the cutting-cylinders, the pulleys 23 will act as the parting-pulleys, in like manner as has been described with reference to pulleys 22,- to provide a working-space between sheet and sheet. With the parts as shown in Fig. 9 the first sheet will obviously pass, supported by the tapes 2, outward under the conductor l7, and when its tail is passing the point occupied by the grippers 6 they will close and seize the tail of the sheet, clamp it against the bar 5, and thus arrest its progress. The following sheet will be carried onward in the same pathway, which, (from the closed position of the grippers shown in Fig. 10,) it will be observed, is entirely unobstructed, and when it has reached the position of coincidence with the first sheet the latter will be released by the grippers, and simultaneously, or nearly so, with such releasing the drop-roller 14 will descend to bear the tapes 4 into nipping contact with the two superimposed sheets, which, thereupon, will take up a like onward movement, and together be carried outward over the folding-rollers 62, and,

when they have reached a proper position with reference to said rollers the folding-blade 61 will be vibrated to fold the two superimposed sheets as one into the nip of said rollers, which,-

revolving, will deliver the same folded longitu'dinally.

It is not essential that the single pathway of deed, it is practicable to have it made up of 7 5 bars entirely, if suitable driving-pulleys never more than a sheets length distant from each other are employed. It is also practicable to use one set or' series of carrying-tapes, and form the other side of the pathway of bars like 71,(shown in Fig. 10,) which bars, it will be observed, supplant the tapes 4 and their pulleys 64 so far as said tapes have formed the upper member of the superimposing pathway. In said figure the tapes 2 run from the pulleys 20 over the partingpulleys 23 and return around the folding-cylinderO and stretching-pulleys 34, and the tapes m are retained as in Fig. 9. In this arangement the tapes 4 are,however, returned from the pulleys 32 around the drop-roller 14, and the parting roller 15 is also omitted, as the stretch of the tapes over the carrier Gis sufficient to nip the sheets.

The construction and arrangement of the stop-bar 5, conductor 17 ,and gripper 6 are the same as in Fig. 9, and the bars 71 are supported at their rear ends as projections from the stop-bar 5 and at their front ends by a cross-bar. In this arrangement the first sheet passes onward in the pathway until arrested, as before described,by the closing operation of the grippers 6, and the s'e'cond sheet passes onward in the unobstructed pathway until it arrives underneath the first sheet, in coincidence therewith, whereupon the grippers release the first sheet, and the drop-roller 14 descends to cause the heads of both superimposed sheets to be nipped, and said sheets to be carried onto the carrier 0, and thereafter IIO to be transversely folded through the pulleys I arrested one-to be raised a considerable distance, and thus provide more than the actual space needed for the second sheet to travel in, thus preventing contact of the two sheets, and thereby avoiding any smutting by their rubbing against each other; and this arrangement also admits of the application to the first sheet of a longitudinally central line of paste, whereby the two sheets may be cemented together on the line of their fold when that fold is a longitudinal one. This may be done by a pasting apparatus operated like that shown in the patent numbered 195,115, granted September 11, 1877, arranged to work in connection with a pulley on the shaft of pulleys 23. The

bars 71 17, instead of taking the place of the I be arranged below instead of above the pathway. i

From the foregoing it will be seen that the essential features of this invention are a single channel or pathway in which all of the sheets take the same course, as distinguished from two channels or pathways into which the sheets are alternately directed by a switch or some equivalent device, and a sheet arresting and retaining device arranged to actupon the.

rear end or tail of the sheet and located outside the pathway or in such position that one sheet of a line or series may be arrested and detained by said mechanism without either the arresting mechanism or the detained sheet interfering with the passage of the following sheet through the same pathway.

It will sometimes occur, where an inferior grade of paper is used,that the arrested sheet, when released, will not promptly take up the movement of the tapesso as to accomplish and preserve the register with its moving companion which this superimposing mechanism is designed to effect. I therefore have devised a duplex arresting mechanism that consists of a double set of grippers, one set, 6, acting as herein described, and a second set coacting therewith, so as to come into operation in time to arrest the second sheet,and these open simultaneously with the grippers 6, whereby the same conditions are imposed upon each of the superimposed sheets-namely, each is arrested, and both are simultaneously released, and leach is compelled to take up its move ment under the same conditions and by the same means, and hence the register once secured will be maintained. Thisimprovement will, however, constitute the subject-matter of another application.

What is here claimed is- 1. The combination, with means forming a pathway for the passage of a line or series of sheets and means foradvancingthesh eetstherein so that all take the same course in the pathway, of a gripping mechanism located upon one side of the pathway and arranged to grasp and retain one sheet until the next following sheet is in register therewith and to then release the detained sheet so that the two can pass forward together, all substantially as described.

2. The combination, with means forming a single pathway for the passage of a line or series of sheets and means for advancing the sheets therein so that all take the same course in the pathway, of a sheet-arresting mechanism located outside the pathway and arranged to act upon the rear end or tail of the sheet,to arrest and detain one sheet until the following sheet has been advanced so as to be in register therewith,and means, as the conductors 17, for directing the advance end or head of said following sheet past the rear end or tail of the arrested sheet, all substantially as described.

3. The combination, with means forming a pathway for the passage of a line or series of sheets and means for advancing the sheets therein, of the stop-bar 5, arranged upon one side of said pathway so that all of the sheets pass upon the same side of the bar, and the grippers 6,arranged to grasp one sheet and retain it until the next following sheet is in register therewith, all substantially as described.

4. The combination, with means forming a pathway for the passage of a line or series of sheets and means for advancing the sheets therein so that all take the same course in the pathway, of a gripping mechanism located upon one side of the pathway,and arranged to grasp and retain one sheet until the next following sheet is in register therewith, and to then release the detained sheet so that the two can pass forward together, and the drop-roller 14, for causing the superimposed sheets to start forward promptly, all substantially as described.

5. A sheet-superimposing mechanism consisting of two series of moving tapes, as 2 4, between which are conveyed a line or series of sheets, a stop-bar, as 5, upon one side of which all of the sheets are caused to pass,and a set of sheet-grippers, as 6, which are operated to grasp and retain one sheet until the following sheet is in register therewith, all substantially as described.

6. The combination,with means forming a pathway for the passage of a line or series of sheets, and means for advancing the sheets therein'so that all take the same course, of the grippers 6 and co-operating stop-bar 5, said bar being sufficiently removed from one side of said pathway to permit the grippers to carry and hold the rear end of the arrested sheet out of the way of the head of the incoming sheet, and conductors, as 17, projecting into the pathway beyond the nipping-face of the stop-bar, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LUTHER O. OROWELL.

Vitnesses:

T. H. PALMER, H. T. MUNsoN. 

